Self-adjusting, self-actuating and clamping stand employing only non-elastic material parts for securing items in the vertical or approximately vertical and the downward position, as in the case addressed herein as an example, that being the case of the &#34;EZ Christmas tree stand&#34;, as registered on the internet

ABSTRACT

A self-adjusting, self-actuating and clamping apparatus employing only non-elastic material parts for vertically or approximately vertically and also downwardly securing Christmas trees or, more generically, other items configured similar to the Christmas tree trunk, to be secured vertically or approximately vertically and downwardly such that in the specific case of the Christmas tree the apparatus can accommodate various sized tree trunks as well as various peripherally/externally configured tree trunks. More specifically, when the apparatus is employed to secure a Christmas tree, or other items configured similar to the Christmas tree trunk, the stability of the Christmas tree, or other items configured similar to the Christmas tree trunk, is increased. In addition, the apparatus can be mounted on a turn-table so as to facilitate the process of decorating the Christmas tree.

The present invention claims priority from the U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/455,397 filed on Oct. 20, 2010 entitled “A self adjusting, self-actuating and clamping stand employing only non-elastic material parts for securing items in the vertical or approximately vertical and the downward position, as in the case addressed herein as an example, that being the case of the “EZ Christmas Tree Stand”, as it is registered and displayed in the video seen at the following web address/URLs: www.ezxmastreestand.com and www.ezchristmastreestand.com. The present invention relates generally to devices which vertically or approximately vertically secure Christmas trees or like items.

The present invention is based on as well as a derivative of our related patent #U.S. Pat. No. 7,494,026 B2, which was invented by us, Robert Alan Bard and Douglas Aaron Bard.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

There are many existing Christmas tree stands, however, all of them require first placing the Christmas tree trunk into the Christmas tree stand and then completing another action such as tightening screws or pumping an item to put locking pressure on the Christmas tree trunk. This present invention is the first Christmas tree stand where, in and of itself, only the single separate action/act of placing the Christmas tree trunk into the Christmas tree stand automatically puts locking pressure on the Christmas tree trunk. The present invention, in addition to acting as a Christmas tree stand can also be utilized to secure other items generically configured similar to the Christmas tree trunk.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a self-adjusting, self-actuating and clamping apparatus for vertically or approximately vertically and also downwardly securing Christmas trees or, more generically, other items configured similar to a Christmas tree trunk, to be secured vertically or approximately vertically and downwardly such that in the specific case of the Christmas tree the apparatus can accommodate various sized tree trunks as well as various peripherally/externally configured tree trunks. More specifically, when the apparatus is employed to secure a Christmas tree, or other items configured similar to a Christmas tree trunk, the stability of the Christmas tree or other items configured similar to the Christmas tree trunk is increased as follows; the apparatus extends the distance from the center of gravity of the secure Christmas tree, or other items configured similar to a Christmas tree trunk, further outward to the outboard edge of the apparatus which can, in addition, be mounted on a turn-table so as to facilitate the process of decorating the Christmas tree.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view of the apparatus sitting on the ground/floor with a Christmas tree installed in the apparatus.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the Christmas tree trunk, the apparatus's base, two of the three sets of dual vertical stanchion assemblies, their associated jaw members with their associated counter weights, pivot pins, hollow open ended conduits and rotation stops and the moveable platform with its extension arm and inverted hollow circular or non circular cone or container and the tightened tensioning non-elastic, yet flexible, line passing through the hollow opened conduit so as to cause each single jaw member to automatically and independently self-adjust to press with equal pressure/force against anywhere on the Christmas tree trunk independent of the eternal peripheral configuration on the surface of the Christmas tree trunk by virtue of the uniform tension along the entire length of the non-elastic, yet flexible, tensioning line.

FIG. 3 is a cut-a-way view of the apparatus showing only the Christmas tree trunk installed in the apparatus, including all the items shown in FIG. 2 plus the rod attached to the center underside of the moveable platform.

FIG. 4 is a top view of FIG. 3

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

The preceding feature and advantages of the present invention will become apparent with the reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a view of the apparatus 1 sitting on the ground or a floor with, as an example, a Christmas tree trunk 2 installed in apparatus 1. The apparatus 1 is designed to be located on any relatively flat surface such as the ground or a floor.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of only the apparatus 1 showing only the Christmas tree trunk 2 installed in the apparatus. The apparatus 1 is composed of the following: A base 3 which serves as a mounting platform for three sets of dual vertical stanchion assemblies 4 each set of which are positioned 120 degrees apart with each individual vertical stanchion 4 being grooved/slotted A at its top to support the jaw member 5 via the pivot pins 6 that perpendicularly protrude from each side of the single jaw member 5. The portion of the jaw member 5 which contacts the Christmas tree trunk 2 can be straight, pointed, or concave as viewed from above. The foregoing configuration allows each jaw member 5 to rotate about the singular/common axis of the pivot pins 6. The rotation is stopped either by the exterior surface of the Christmas tree trunk 2 thus clamping on the exterior surface of the Christmas tree trunk 2 or by the outboard rotational stop 7. Because the three sets of dual vertical stanchion assemblies 4 are positioned 120 degrees apart, FIG. 2 shows two of the three sets of dual vertical stanchion assemblies 4. As detailed later, it is the variable clamping action of the jaw members 5 which can laterally hold variably sized Christmas trees in place via the Christmas tree trunk 2.

It should be noted that by virtue of the way each jaw member 5 is counter balanced by weight W, the upper end of each of the three jaw members 5 initially rests against their associated rotation stop 7 (the position for the initial acceptance of the Christmas tree trunk 2) before the upper end of each jaw member 5 is caused to rotate towards the Christmas tree trunk 2 via the uniform tension which induces/transfers/transmits uniform force on/to the upper end of each jaw member 5 when the closed-loop non-elastic, yet flexible, tensioning line 8, made from flexible material, is drawn tighter per the following sequence:

As the Christmas tree trunk 2, via the weight of the installed Christmas tree, pushes down on the movable platform 9 via it's attached, inverted, hollow and circular or non circular cone or container 10 which is mounted to the top surface of the moveable platform 9, such that the center axis of the inverted, hollow and circular or non circular cone or container 10 is coincident with the center axis of the moveable platform 9, the Christmas tree trunk 2 in turn also pushes down the extension arm 11 which is attached in a radial fashion outward from the periphery of the moveable platform 9 in the plane parallel to both the upper and lower surfaces of the base 3 such that the extension arm 11 in turn moves down and pushes downward on the closed-loop, non-elastic yet flexible tensioning line 8, which passes through all three hollow open ended conduits 12 (one hollow open ended conduit 12 per each jaw member 5) each mounted on the inner surface (facing the center of the apparatus 1) of each jaw member 5 such that there is less length of the closed-loop non-elastic, yet flexible, tensioning line 8 left in the plane established by the three hollow open ended conduits 12 (geometry wise, a plane can always be made to pass through any three points/locations) thus drawing the three hollow open ended conduits 12 and their three associated jaw members 5 closer together in advance of each of the three jaw members 5 independently and automatically self-adjusting to clamp with equal pressure/force anywhere on the Christmas tree trunk 2 (the uniform tension in the closed-loop non-elastic, yet flexible, tensioning line 8 induces an equal force being transmitted to each of the jaw members 5 which in turn transmit that force to the Christmas tree trunk 2 independent of where the jaw members 5 make contact with the Christmas tree 2). The dual purpose of the inverted, hollow and circular or non circular cone or container 10 is to be capable of both accepting and centering the bottom of the Christmas tree trunk 2 within the confines of the inverted hollow and circular or non circular cone or container 10. Thus, there exists 2 separate vertical locations to provide lateral constraint for the Christmas tree trunk 2 separate from the downward constraint also provided by the inverted, hollow and circular or non circular cone or container 10.

FIG. 3 is a cut-a-way view of everything shown in FIG. 2 plus the moveable platform 9 attached at its center underside to a rod 13 which is perpendicular to both the top and bottom surfaces of the movable platform 9 and which rides up and down in a hole B which is perpendicularly drilled entirely through the rigid main base 3 thus insuring that both the top and bottom surfaces of the moveable platform 9 will always be parallel to the top and bottom surfaces of the rigid base 3.

FIG. 4 is a top view of FIG. 3. 

1. A self-adjusting, self-actuating and clamping device employing only non-elastic material parts for securing and releasing a Christmas tree (for example) or, more generically, other items with similar attachable configurations comprising a. a base b. a moveable platform incorporating both an inverted, hollow and circular or non circular cone or container centrally and vertically mounted on top of the moveable platform and an extension arm attached in a radial fashion mounted outward from the periphery of the moveable platform such that the moveable platform, the inverted, hollow and circular or non circular cone or container and the extension arm all move up and down together relative to the base via a rod which is perpendicularly attached to the center under side of the moveable platform and which slides in a hole which is located at the center of the base and has its axis perpendicular to both the upper and lower parallel surfaces of the base c. three single jaw members with straight, pointed or concave shaped upper most tips as viewed from above such that each single jaw member incorporates a hollow and open-ended conduit on its interior wall facing the center of the device for through passage of a minimum of one closed-loop tensioning line, made from a non-elastic yet flexible material, is able to pivot toward and away from the center of gravity of the device to respectively grasp and release the Christmas tree trunk there between, said pivot mounting of each single jaw member being so located relative to the center of gravity of each single jaw member that each single jaw member is biased in the open position via counter weights when the Christmas tree trunk is removed from the inside of the inverted, hollow and circular or non circular cone or container attached to the moveable platform and closed against the Christmas tree trunk when, due to the weight of the installed Christmas tree, the Christmas tree trunk moves the movable platform downward and is pivotally carried between each of the three sets of dual vertical stanchions which are located 120 degrees apart, are peripheral to the moveable platform, are carried by said base and are projecting upward there from such that the moveable platform moves downward or upward as a function of the Christmas tree trunk being respectively placed on or removed from the moveable platform via the inverted, hollow and circular or non circular cone or container, such that the downward movement of the moveable platform in turn causes the attached extension arm to move downward which in turn pushes downward on the closed-loop non-elastic, yet flexible, tensioning line which in turn effectively reduces the length of the closed-loop non-elastic, yet flexible, tensioning line in the plane passing through the three hollow open ended conduits (geometry wise, a plane can always be made to pass through any three points/locations) thus drawing the three single jaw members closer together such that the three jaw members subsequently automatically and independently self-adjust and self-actuate to clamp with equal pressure/force against anywhere on the Christmas tree trunk (the uniform tension in the closed-loop non-elastic, yet flexible, tensioning line induces/transfers/transmits an equal pressure/force first on to each single jaw member which in turn transmits the equal pressure/force on to the Christmas tree trunk independently of where on the Christmas tree trunk that the upper portion of the single jaw member makes contact) and therefore between the action of the bottom the Christmas tree trunk being constrained both laterally and downwardly by the inverted, hollow and circular or non circular cone or container and the upper portion of the Christmas tree trunk being constrained laterally by the upper part of each of the three single jaw members, the Christmas tree, therefore is fully constrained in both the lateral and downward directions d. three rotation stops, each of which are carried by said base, are projecting upward there from and are located outboard of each of the three single jaw members to prevent the free upper end of each of the three jaw members from rotating outward from the center of gravity of the device to the extent that the rod would be lifted completely out of its mating hole in the base e. a variety of stops could also be attached to the bottom of the rod to prevent the rod from being lifted completely out its mating hole in the base f. more generically, the apparatus will properly function when it consists of any plurality of dual sets of stanchion assemblies and their associated jaw members configured to effectively provide a minimum of a three point contact of the upper end of the single jaw member with the outside of the Christmas tree trunk for laterally securing the Christmas tree trunk at a location above the bottom of the Christmas tree g. the preceding described device can, in addition, be mounted on a turn table so as to facilitate the process of decorating the Christmas tree and h. the cone in the preceding device can be filled with water to preserve the life of the Christmas tree. 